The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1887-12-22
CHRISTMAS PRESENTS.

Every body is now deep in the trou
blesome business of selecting Christ
mas presents. This accounts Tor TN
anxious, distressed expressions on 5.
many Countenances one sees III III
shops and stores and on the street
People are worried. They don't kno"
what to give, and the abundance ano
variety from which to select do no
help matters auy. The boy is neVel
extremely pleased with the jack
knife ne chooses from the two or three
dozen spread before him. he VIII
always regret that he did not TAI
another one, whereas if there had been
but ore, he would have been conten
with il. If there were not 80 much
from which 10 choose it Would be al
east matt to select articles for
Christmas presents.
One of the very best features OF
Christmas is this one OF sending
presents. II reaches the hearts of all
and brings people closer tosether, en-
dearing them to each other. Untor-
= tunately the custom has taken such d
strong hold upon everybody that
it controls them in many instances,
for evil. All think they must send
presents, and pride induces them to do
more than they can afford. Everybody
wants TO do little better than he is
done by, and too many crafty their
ambition in this respect at the expense
OF their future peace of mind, and il
defiance of their better judgment. II
the merchants, shOp-keepers' and
Jewellers books were opened,
they would tell tales of eX~
trayaganee III the Christmas
presents enlarged" to parties who
couldsnot pay for them, and who there
fore ought not to have bought them
There would be / So recklessness in the
matter if people would give their intel
iigence chance and learn from it thai
the person who measures your affection
and respect for him or her by the value
of the Christmas present is unworthy
esteem or consideration. In the opinion
of the sensible man or woman, the one
who gives more as Christmas present
than he can afford, is thought less OF
than be would be if his gift were in har-
mony with his financial condition
rather than with his vanity and his
ambition to appear rich. In selecting
articles. for sending to friends at this |
time, bear in mind that after Christmas
has gone, the reckoning will come, and
that however much pleasure you may
have brought to others, if you have
been extravagant you have brought
yourself lots of annoyance and trouble;
and all very foOlishly.
Another thing in regard to Christ
mas presents-don't let the utilitarian
idea control. Don't try to cheat your
self and others by assuming that you
can make duty and necessity serve as
pleasure. There ought to be sentiment
in Christmas present; its appropriate.
pess should be so suggestive that the
recipient will take selfish pride in it
because it will tell of the giVer's thought
fulness and desire to please. There is no
sentiment in giving the wife q pair of
shoes on Christmas which you should
have given her month before, or will
have to buy month later. He heart
would be made happier by an inexpeu-
ave card, if the husband could afford to
do no more, for she would read in the
eaId evidence of his thoughtfulness and
devotion. She may be grateful
for the shoes, but she can.ot
deceive herself into the belief
that the present is an appropriate one,
and her heart will bleed though she
does not confess it. The boy may be in
need Of q pair of trousers, but don't
break his young heart by making
trousers do duty IS Christmas present.
he knows you must clothe him, just as
Won must provide coal snd -four and
meat; on Christmas he expects you to
do something else-give him something
that will not be sltogether and wholly
useful.
Plainly, you can be governed by
utility all the other days in the year; on
Christmas, let the sentiment which has
grown into the day assert itself soma
what.